A Toronto city councillor wants to simplify paid parking by allowing drivers to top up their meters with their cellphones.

Coun. Karen Stintz said the technology has already been introduced in many other Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary as well as in the United States and Britain.

The cashless payment option would make it easier for motorists to pay for parking on the street by making a quick phone call. It would also eliminate the need for Torontonians to fumble for change outside a parking meter in bone-chilling winter weather.

"The benefit is convenience for the user, because if you need a few extra minutes for parking, you can call it in, you can dial it in," Stintz said. "It may not grow a revenue base, but it is a significant convenience for the person who is using the service."

Stintz said there is also technology that allows a parking enforcement officer to scan a vehicle's license plate to check whether a payment has been made.

City staff will review the recommendation and come back with a report in six months.